Spilling Secrets
by Xennie.B
Summary: A consultant from U.N.I.T comes to Torchwoor and she know more about Ianto Jones than any of the team do, even Jack.
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

Gwen, Tosh and Owen sat in the conference room watching the CCTV footage from the main area of the hub. Jack and Ianto were standing on the steps, leaning against the railings near the door waiting for their guest.

"So why exactly are we getting a consultant in?" Owen groaned slumping back in his seat.

"Because she's been in the field since we were children and knows more than us about this sort of thing," Tosh replied idly flicking through the report she had in front of her.

"Well except for Jack," Gwen added, her head resting on her arms, where she had them folded on the desk. She was watching the two men standing there shoulder to shoulder talking quietly to each other, though the leer on Jack's face and the smile on Ianto did make her wonder just what they were talking about.

"Jack knows a hell of a lot and so does Ianto, but even they have gaps in their expertise, the Consultant U.N.I.T. is lending us knows more about alien psychics and psychology than any of us do," Tosh explained.

"Tea-Boy doesn't know as much as Jack about things," Owen snorted.

"Want to bet," Tosh muttered under her breath, Owen heard her though and was about to retort when Gwen sat up gaining their attention.

"She's here," Gwen smiled drawing all three of their attention towards the monitor at the end of the room.

As the woman stepped through the door they studied her briefly, she didn't look like a specialist of any kind, she was wearing black dress pants and a blouse, carrying a briefcase. Only the silver hair gave her away as being old enough to be their mother. Jack bounded down the stairs to meet her and swept her into a crushing hug, lifting her feet off the ground a little. Very calmly she raised her briefcase and bopped him on the head with it. Jack carefully put her down and stepped back rubbing his head as she pulled Ianto into a tight hug, which looked much more comfortable and welcome than hers and Jack's had.

"Seems like Tea-boy knows her," Owen mused. Ianto took the briefcase as well as a laptop, which had been placed on the floor carefully when she'd seen Jack approach. Jack offered her his arm and the trio made their way up to the conference room.

Jack walked in the door with the woman still on his arm, "Everyone meet Doctor Valma Linth she'll be helping us out on this case," Jack said as he directed her to a seat where Ianto placed her bags beside chair her earning a small smile in return.

"Ianto, think you can work some coffee magic?" Jack asked smiling up at the younger man as he took his seat at the head of the table, opposite Valma.

"Of course Jack," Ianto replied with a nod and a polite smiled he left the room.

"Have you noticed tea-boy's stopped calling you Sir now, Jack," Owen smirked and Jack winced a little confusing the others.

"Owen," Jack warned.

"'Tea-boy' Doctor Harper? I was under the impression that Mr. Jones, was in fact Head Archivist and Researcher here at Torchwood Three not to mention a field operative when the need arises, was I misinformed?" Valma said not looking up from the files she was flicking through.

"He is. And he also makes the tea and coffee," Owen shrugged not understanding why the woman would care.

"Tell me Doctor Harper do you always speak to your superiors in such a disrespectful manner?" Valma asked still not looking up from her work.

"Valma, don't," Jack warned as Owen spluttered in disbelief and Gwen and Tosh were staring at the woman in disbelief. Finally looking up from the paper work she was reading, Valma shot Jack a look that clearly said not to mess with her before continuing.

"Ianto Jones was head archivist at Torchwood One where he was recruited from U.N.I.T. where he held an honorary rank of Captain…" Jack's ears perked up at this bit of information, "He has been working for either U.N.I.T. or Torchwood since he was 18 which makes him by default, unless Jack states otherwise, the second in command of this place," Valma said.

"Jack is this all true?" Gwen asked for the shocked trio.

"Yes, though I didn't know his honorary rank was Captain, he'd kept that little piece of information to himself," Jack mused and Tosh shot him an annoyed look.

"Yeah well, someone that young shouldn't have a rank that high… You seem to know a lot about him, next you'll be telling us he's telepathic and he was your project," Owen growled, he already didn't like the woman and she hadn't even been here an hour let alone begun to help with the case.

"Mr. Jones is not telepathic, he has minor abilities but his strengths lie with the fact that he's telekenetic, a little empathic and has an eidetic memory. That is why he was recruited and he earned the rank he has; it's only referred to as an honorary rank because he is not a member of the British forces. He has not now nor has be ever been a project," Valma growled at the doctor, she could see why Ianto was always arguing and complaining about the other man now.

Jack sat back in his chair rubbing a hand over his face, Ianto was going to be so pissed off when he got up here. Valma had just blurted out most of his secrets in ten minutes to the people he least wanted to know because he didn't want them to treat him any different. Jack knew, Jack had know since after Lisa when Ianto had come to him, but Jack also knew he hated being looked at like a 'freak' so he just  
kept his abilities to himself.

Owen and Gwen were sitting there in shock, not believing what they'd just been told while Tosh thought about the information that had just been dumped on them.

"Is that why he didn't ask how you take your coffee?" Tosh asked and Valma looked up at her curiously.

Tosh blushed a little then she explained "I mean, if you worked together in the past, he would probably remember but tastes change so he would have asked you what you wanted anyway to be polite,"

Valma smiled at the girl she knew to be Ianto's closest friend, she wasn't counting Jack, the pair of them were in a relationship now, not just friends shagging in the office. "A Boy always knows how to make his mother's favorite cup Ms. Sato," Valma replied and Gwen managed to make a strange choking noise while Jack sat there trying to smother his laughter.

The door swung open and everyone turned to look as Ianto walked in carrying a tray careful not to spill the drinks. Setting the tray on the edge of the table near Valma he finally looked up at the occupant of the room. Valma was sitting there idly flipping through her reports again. Jack looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Gwen was close to fainting as she stared at him with those huge eyes of hers. Tosh gave him a tentative smile, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that she was bursting with questions about something. Owen was red but whether it was embarrassment, anger or both, Ianto couldn't tell.

Finally he turned back to where Valma was now looking up at him with her innocent look.

"What did you do?" he asked scowling down at his mother.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**

* * *

**

Eyes closed I lean back against the railing, I can feel the cold metal press into my back even through the thickness of my suit. Jack's standing on the step above me and I can feel the smug amusement rolling off him as we both wait for out 'guest' to arrive.

"You're awfully pleased with yourself," I mutter not bothering to open my eyes. I feel Jack's hand briefly rub down my arm, stopping so the back of our hands brush as we stand shoulder to shoulder.

"We need her help Ianto, between the two of us, we may know a fair bit but she's the expert," Jack said and I open my eyes to peer up at him.

"I know, but you're still too happy about this," I raise an eyebrow as he grins down at me, the man is impossible sometimes.

"I admit, it could be fun,"

"It could be disastrous," I retort, there is no way this visit is going to go smoothly for me; at the very least I'm going to end up completely embarrassed. God why did I agree to this? Why did I let her agree to this?

"Do you even remember when you two first met?"

"I've had worse first meetings." Jack shrugs

I look at him in disbelief, "She slapped you, the minute you opened the door! I didn't even have a chance to introduce you."

"I've also had better first meetings," Jack leers down at me, both of us remembering our first meeting in the woods with the weevil and I can't help the smile that creeps across my face as he gently bumps against me.

"Hey, at least I didn't sleep with her," Jack grins and I swear if I had have been drinking at that moment I would have choked on it. Jack often managed to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Not for lack of trying, from what I hear," I retort, Jack pretends to look abashed and fails miserably.

"Your grandfather was scary! No soldier was touching _his_ daughter. He used to come after me with a shotgun for crying out loud," Jack actually sounds offended for a moment but I can sense nothing but amusement from him.

"Yes, well at some point you're going to have to re-meet him as the man dating his grandson," I smirk at him but I'm distracted by another presence entering the hub, one I haven't felt for months but know as well as I know myself.

I can feel Jack's affection as he watches me realizing what's happening as I turn eagerly towards the door as it roles open.

Mum steps through the door and I can feel her awe as she stares around the room. I thought she'd seen the hub before but Jack did tell me once it had been redesigned in the late 90s so maybe she hadn't seen it since then. She's dressed in her normal clothes, there was very little mum would get dressed up for; if she was going somewhere she was going to be comfortable. Her normal briefcase and laptop are in her hands as she pauses just outside the cage and smiles up at us.

For some reason I'm suddenly unsure what to do, I know the team is probably watching us on the CCTV so do I greet her like I normally would or should I be more professional?

Jack obviously doesn't care either way as he bounds down the stairs and pulls her into a hug. Mum only just manages to put her laptop on the ground before he's grabbed her and it teeters slightly looking like it's about to fall. Knowing how delicate the specialized sensors were I reach out and steady it, the faint blue glow that flickers around it the only sign that anything _unusual_ has happened.

Mum lifts her briefcase and bops Jack on the head with it, and not lightly either if the thunk it makes is anything to go by, then again Jack does have a bit of a hard head.

Jack steps back rubbing his head and without another word mum and I step forward and she pulls me into a tight hug; which I'm more than happy to return whether the others are watching or not, "Hi mam,"

She pulls back holding me at arms length appraising my appearance, whatever she was looking for she seems to find it as she smiles at me with a nod and turns to look at Jack.

"Glad to see you're taking care of my boy Jack," she even managed to say it with a completely straight face even though I can sense the teasing coming from her I still flush in response.

"_Mam_," I groan and I imagine I sound somewhat like a child, only proving the point that I'm still young enough to need taking care of, but I don't care. It's only Jack here and he knows me better than anyone else, except for Mam of course.

Both of them grin at me and I roll my eyes. Slipping the briefcase from Mam's hand I also pick up her laptop as Jack offers her his arm.

They whisper quietly between themselves as we make our way up to the conference room where the others are waiting. I know that they're talking about me but I don't mind, neither of them can hide anything from me, nor do they need to.

As they walk up closer to me, Mam giving me a fond smile and Jack a wink. I briefly wonder what has been said and then the information floods from Mam's mind in a series of emotions that I've spent years learning to interpret. As I suspected she was checking up on how I'd been both at work and personally and who better to get the information from than the Boss I'd been dating for almost a year.

"You could have just asked me, you know," I say as they step past me so Jack can lead Mam into the room first.

"Where's the fun in that though?" Mam replies, "Besides Jack's a better gossip than you are." Jack looks like he's not sure whether to be offended or amused, but he quickly schools his features as the door slides open and we walk into the conference room.

The team looks up with varying degrees of interest as we enter. With some amusement, though no surprise I realize that Tosh's interest is also directed somewhat at myself. Trust Tosh to be the one to be curious about our relationship.

"Everyone, meet Doctor Valma Linth, she'll be helping us out on this case," Jack explains as he gestures for Mam to take a seat beside him at the table, the place where Gwen normally sat. The Welshwoman was grudgingly sitting on the other side of Owen and I'm pretty sure she was wondering why she was the one to give up her seat beside Jack instead of me, but she'd never say anything as petty as that in front of Jack.

I place Mam's bags beside her chair and she smiles at me, I can sense her pride at what a good boy I've grown into and quickly have to squash my amusement.

"Ianto, think you can work some coffee magic?" Jack asked giving me an escape for a moment, he'd obviously been able to sense I needed it before I let something slip that the others didn't need to see. We'd both agreed it would be easier if the other three didn't know my relationship with our visiting consultant.

"Of course Jack," I reply, sending him a thank you mentally as I give my normal 'butler' nod and leave the room heading for the coffee machine.

While the water heats I let my mind wander, I can sense uncertainty and worry from Jack, from Mam I can sense nothing, she's blocking me. Both of these facts confuse me and not for the first time I wish my empathic abilities were stronger so I can sense what the rest of the team is feeling.

My empathic ability worked only on those I was linked to and I couldn't get so much as a whisper from anyone else. I'd been linked to Mam, Tad and my sister my whole life, I don't remember ever not being able to sense them. I'd never had a connection with anyone else until Jack, not even Lisa. The first time we'd actually slept together, not just shagged in the office, when we'd woken the next morning and the link had just been there.

Hadn't that been a fun conversation.

Once I'd finally got around to introducing Mam and Tad to Jack, (and she'd gotten over her initial reaction to me dating the notorious Jack Harkness) I'd asked Mam about it. The best she could come up with was it had something to do with Jack's natural evolutionary advantage. We still weren't entirely sure why or how I'd linked to Jack, just that I had and it had done amazing things to strengthen our relationship.

If Jack knew how to block me, he never had. Mam however had raised a child who could sense what she was feeling, she had learnt to block very quickly and had soon taught Tad and eventually Rhiannon when she was older and more responsible. Personally I think Mam waited to teach Rhiannon because she liked having me as a lie detector.

The water finished heating so I began making their drinks, exactly the way they each liked them. I barely had to think about it anymore, as often as I made them all drinks it was second nature. Just like it was second nature to have the milk float out of the fridge and onto the bench beside me, knowing the team was busy and wouldn't see.

* * *

Balancing the tray on one hand while keeping it steady with my mind I press my hand to the button and wait for the door to open, all sound coming from the rooms suspiciously stops.

As I step into the room, everyone looks at me but I ignore, them concentrating on not spilling the drinks without using my abilities to help. Balancing my tray on the edge of the table next to Mam I calmly hand out the mugs to the correct people trying to ignore the awkward silence that seems to have settled over the room at my return. Mam is still blocking me so I can't sense anything from her and Jack is so full of nervous amusement that he is no help to me.

Finally looking up, I take in the faces of the rooms occupants trying to figure out what is going on. Mam is flicking through her reports, but she isn't reading them; most of her concentration would be focused on blocking me at the moment.

Gwen looks like she's about to faint, those huge eyes of hers are staring at me and I find myself wondering just how much bigger her eyes could get before they pop out of her head and Owen, had gone red.

Tosh smiles at me tentatively and I return the smile trying to reassure her. Tosh is my closest friend besides Jack and the thought of her being nervous around me bothers me.

Even if I couldn't sense his feelings, Jack would be the biggest tell in the whole group. For an ex-con man, I found him remarkably easy to read sometimes. Turning back to Mam I frown down at her and she finally looks up at me with that fake innocent expression of hers.

"What did you do?" I ask scowling down at her almost dreading the answer.


	3. Chapter 2

AN: A few ppl asked about the shift from 3rd to 1st person POV. When I wrote the first chapter it was meant to be a one-shot which is why it is in 3rd person, when the fic developed a story line to continue with the idea of Ianto's POV came up. There was a vote over at my main site (my Livejournal account) over whether to continue to fic from Ianto's POV and maybe Jack's later on. So the first chapter being a Prologue is like most, a teaser into the story and so now we move onto the story with Ianto's POV. It has been changed to give more insight into what's going on and what Ianto can sense is happening around him through his abilities.

* * *

"I don't know what you're talking about dear," Mam replies trying to look innocent even though I can tell that she is anything but.

"Your _mam_ was just telling us a few home _truths_," Owen snorts, dragging out the words and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes at him; as if I was likely to miss them.

I glance at Owen but don't give him any indication that what he's said is bothering me. Jack sends me a comforting wave which is a great help to calm me and I latch onto it.

"Why didn't you tell us you were... special?" Gwen asks and I couldn't stop the glare that I throw at her if I wanted to. I hate being labeled like that and my annoyance in strongly echoed by Mam and Jack.

"It's really none of your business," I growl and Gwen gapes at me in shock. She turns to look at Jack, expecting him to support her but Jack merely shakes his head as if scolding a child.

"It is our business if it affects how we work," Owen answers ignoring the fact that Gwen was now looking to him for support since Jack obviously wasn't going to stick up for her.

"If I'd let it affect my work you would have known about it by now," I retort.

"But, what about medically?" Owen pushes, his tone slightly different this time and it strikes me that he's actually worried. Worried that he could have done or not done something while treating me.

"It's not something you need to worry about Owen," I try to reassure him, my annoyance fading a little, but I suspect he won't believe me until he checks me over for himself and isn't that something to look forward to.

I turn and look down at Mam, "This is why I didn't tell them."

"Ms. Sato seems to be taking it just fine," Mam replies sitting back in her seat as she observes the other woman.

"The truth was likely to come out in this case anyway and I'm going to need your other skills. Its better they find out now than in the field and it also gives me a chance to observe and learn about them."

My annoyance spikes at how easily she just lied to us, or at least tried to, from the look on Jack's face he didn't believe her either.

"So are you going to explain what's going on? When I called and asked for your advice you demanded to be brought into the case as a consultant. I know we're going to need you on this but it's time to tell me why you're so eager to be here," Jack says trying to steer the conversation away from me and back onto the case.

I walk behind Jack to get to my usual seat, brushing my hand across the back of his neck in thanks. Sitting done I'm relieved to notice the attention has been diverted back to Mam just like Jack wanted.

"Okay, you've found seven bodies over the past month around Cardiff, correct?" Mam begins; she pauses, waiting for Jack to nod a confirmation. "The last body you found was a... Philip Tember, Ex-T1 employee and recorded psychic. He went missing from Providence Park a week before his body was found." Mam continues reading from her notes.

"He's why Jack called you? Because he was a psychic?" Owen asks tapping his pen on the desk

"Yes. But the reason I asked to be included was because Jack gave me the other names. You couldn't see any connection between the victims but I could apart from them all being between 25 and 30. There was another connection though they were all psychic in some form."

Shock slams into my heart and if I hadn't been sitting I know I would have collapsed. Jack reaches across the table to take my hand and I can see Mam watching me carefully.

"How do you know they are all psychic, it can't be an easy thing to determine," Tosh asks diverting the attention away from me for the moment giving me time to pull myself together.

"Bethany, my partner, is a young psychic with the unique ability to recognize psychics and know what they're abilities are, either in person or through CCTV. We brought her into work with us a few years ago and we spent months going through databases of footage with her identifying as many as she can. We have a database so we can keep track of them and if need be, protect them," Mam explains to the others but I wasn't listening, I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that everyone who had been killed were psychic. Who could be doing this? Am I next?

"Could this Database be what the killer's using to find its targets?" Tosh asks

"No. It's not on a server. There are only two copies I have one, Bethany has the other, that way no one can use it to hurt the people on the database," Mam explains and I can feel her certainty, it's reassuring in one way. But it also means the killer has another way of knowing who we are. "Bethany will be here in a few days to help on the case, she's in France at the moment visiting her sister but she's coming back on the earliest flight she can."

"Okay, so we keep this in mind. Gwen you need to keep liaising with the police, see if they know anything more. Tosh, Ianto, keep the CCTV and data searches running we need everything we can get on the victims, where and when they were last seen. Owen, finish the autopsies. Valma, once Bethany arrives you'll be helping wherever you can and comparing anything we come up with to your databases. We need to figure out who or what is doing this before they go after someone else." Jack delivers his orders with his normal bravado, clapping his hands to get everyone moving but I can feel his worry about the whole situation.

Tosh and Gwen stand up to follow his orders but Owen doesn't move, instead staring along the table at me.

"Is there a problem Owen?" Jack asks his defenses up.

"I want Ianto to come to have an examination. After today's revelations I need to know just how it affects his biology, otherwise next time I treat him I won't know whether I'm really helping or not," Owen stares straight at me arms crossed daring me to say no.

"I told you, it doesn't interfere, it hasn't yet," I sigh looking to Jack for support but he only lifts his hands signaling that he's not getting involved; the coward.

"And you got your medical degree when exactly?" Owen snorts.

"Careful Owen, he does outrank you," Tosh calls from the door where she and Gwen have stopped to watch us.

I throw an annoyed look at Mam, just how much did she say to them while I wasn't here?

"Medical outranks everyone, even Captain Shag-a-lot over there."

"Oi!"

"It does not."

"I'll declare you're unfit for duty and then we'll see home much rank I have."

"Fine! If only to shut you up about it!" I snap; I don't have the patience to deal with this right now.

* * *

I don't care what anyone else says, I'm buying a mattress or cushions or something to go on the autopsy table. It was all well and good if you're a corpse but when you're very much alive it's cold and uncomfortable.

I can sense Mam and Jack standing up top leaning on the railing watching as Owen runs every test he can think of on me.

Owen turns to me with a clipboard and perches on the edge of one of his tables. Apparently he's run out of tests and now come the questions; he can be a bit predicable at times.

"So when did your powers manifest?" Owen asks

"I was born with them,"

"It's hereditary then?"

"No," this time it's Mam who answers and Owen looks up at her in surprise. "It's not hereditary, neither myself nor Ianto's father have any abilities and neither does his sister."

"Then how...?" Owen looks between the two of us in wonder and I shift slightly on the table feeling uncomfortable under his stare.

"We don't know. I was a medical scientist, so when I had a son with such a powerful gift I changed my area of expertise. U.N.I.T took me on and gave me all the funding I needed. I've spent Ianto's entire life trying to work out how, why, and anything to help him and the others," Mam explains, I'd heard the story before of course but it was a little weird hearing her tell Owen when I've spent so long hiding it from him and the others.

"There are others with no hereditary connection?" Owen asks pen between his teeth.

"Yes, I know of five others who were born with abilities but have no link from their parents, Bethany is one. There may be others in the database but since we don't interfere in their lives I don't know," Mam explains.

"Okay, tea-boy just what are these powers of yours? Your Mam said something about Telekinesis, Telepathy and Empathy; I need to know what sort of levels we're talking about here," Owen says attention once again on his clipboard.

I feel Mam's anger surge the moment the nickname comes out of Owen's mouth and Jack places his hand on her arm to calm her down a little. I knew her coming to the hub was going to do nothing but cause problems for me and it was turning out that I was right.

"I'm not Empathic per se, I link to certain people and once I've linked to them I can sense their emotions. It's called a closed Empath as opposed to an open Empaths who can sense everyone around them."

"Yep, I've heard the terms before," Owen nods and I look at him in surprise, when I don't continue he looks up to meet my surprised gaze. He looks down again a little uncomfortable as he explains "When Katie got sick, I studied everything I could to do with brain and the mind including Psychic traits and abilities. Good thing you've got a doctor who understands isn't it."

I don't comment on what he just said, knowing not to bring up to many painful memories so I continue with my explanations, "My Telepathy is very limited I have to be in contact with the person I'm trying to read, it takes a lot out of me and I can't go much further than their surface thoughts."

"Can you read the people you're linked to?" Owen asks still writing down notes and no longer bothering to look up when he talks to me.

"Not as such. If they want they can send me information... I don't get it in words of images I just suddenly know what they want me to know," Owen nods taking more notes.

"Who are you linked to?"

"Why do you want to know that?" Jack asks and I know he's not ready to reveal all his secrets to the team but I suspect he's worrying for no reason, they'll just assume I linked to Jack like I linked to Mam.

"In case they can be used against him at some point," Owen replies glancing curiously between me and Jack.

"I'm linked to five people, Mam, Tad, my sister Rhiannon, my best friend Kelley and Jack," Owen raises an eyebrow but doesn't comment on my link to Jack, which leaves both Jack and I relieved, neither of us really want to go into it with the team.

I hear a squeak come from the main area of the hub. Jack's looking over his shoulder and I can feel his fatherly amusement and pride. Tosh and Gwen are watching us on the CCTV then.

"So what about your telekinetic abilities?" Owen asks finally finished jotting down his notes he looks up at me expectantly. God, I feel like a lab rat under a microscope, thanks Mam.

"They are my strongest trait by far." I admit, I know how strong I am, but how to put it into words without sounding conceited?

"Demonstration,"

I look up to see Owen watching me arms folded and I wonder if that was supposed to sound like and order or a request. Sighing I glance up at Jack "Do you want to get the girls in here, I'm sure they'd prefer to see it in person rather than on the CCTV."

Jack gives me a reassuring smile and sends a wave of support and encouragement. I bask in it a moment then straighten and prepare for what I'm about to do. Something I swore I would never let them see; never do it in front of them unless it was to save their lives and only as a last resort. Now I was going to put on a show for them.


	4. Chapter 3

Jack moves into the hub to fetch the girls and I watch him go for a moment before turning back to Mam we lock eyes for a moment and I know Owen is watching us but I don't care as I try and convey how I'm feeling towards her. This could end very badly and I could loose my friends and she needs to understand that it would, at least partially, be her fault. I see her blink and feel the guilt from her but there's something else there, a need, like she needs this to happen for some reason but it's not enough for me to work out why.

Frowning I look away from Mam. I know I'm being irrational and that we, as a team, are closer than that but there's still that underlying fear of being alone and cast aside like I was after Canary Warf, just like all the survivors.

_Get any weapons or equipment and make sure everything is secure. The survivors can take care of themselves; after all, they caused all this._ I still remember overhearing the UNIT officer in charge of the clean up giving the orders.

It didn't matter that I was ex UNIT or that I outranked him, it didn't matter than none of this was any of the survivors fault. Those at fault had been on the front line and were some of the first to die. We were innocent bystanders, but it didn't matter, we were left on our own to deal with it.

It wasn't until I came to Torchwood Three and Lisa had been put to rest that I began to feel part of a group that wasn't my family again.

Owen snorts breaking me from my thoughts and I look to my left where he's glancing between the two of us. "Well that explains some of your and Jack's odd behaviors. I assumed it was just him being weird but it was you and your links."

"How do you know it's not Jack being weird as well?" I ask and watch as Owen's eyes widen slightly at the implication but he doesn't say anything more as Jack and the girls walk back into the medical bay. They take up positions on the railing where they can watch while staying out of the way and suddenly I understand what an animal in a zoo must feel like.

"When you're ready," Owen prompts scanner in hand to take the readings.

Jack throws Owen and annoyed look before catching my eyes. "Take you're time Ianto," he says sending a wave of reassurance and it gives me strength.

Tosh, Gwen and Owen are watching me closely, some closer to obvious staring than others, I quickly scan the room for something to demonstrate with. I don't really want to use anything in the autopsy bay, it's Owen's domain and now really isn't the time to piss the medic off by playing with his toys.

My eyes land on Jack and I quickly scan him for his normal accessories, only to find he hasn't got any on, no pocket watch, no pen clipped to his shirt pocket, no belt, or candy stashed in his pockets, only his wrist strap; which I wasn't going to touch. Mam didn't have anything on her either, great help those two are then. There's no way I'd take anything off the other's at the moment and my jacket with my things were left on Jack's desk on our way down here.

It occurs to me that there is one thing other than his wrist strap that Jack always has on him, it's probably not the best thing to demonstrate with but it will have to do. With a small smile I raise my hand in his direction. Jack nods and keeps still; I focus on the small dagger that's always tucked into Jack's boot. With a small movement of my fingers it slips out of its sheath and out from under his trouser legs and floats towards me the faint blue glow that signifies my ability surrounding the dagger and my fingers.

Gwen squeaks as she's the one closest to Jack and therefore closest to the flying dagger. Tosh's eyes widen in surprise and Owen's shocked gaze flicker between the dagger which in currently rotating between us and my hand which is now by my side, though my fingers are still glowing softly. Jack and Mam exchange looks and smiles both radiating pride and amusement.

"Oh wow," Tosh whispers and I smile gently at her.

I glance at Gwen who is doing a marvelous impression of a goldfish again, one of these days I'm going to have to get that on tape. "But... then... why?"

Jack looks at her curiously, poking her gently in the ribs to get her back on track. Shaking her head she turns to look at me her eyes full of questions and pain and for a moment I'm not sure I want to hear what she's about to say. "You've got this wonderful gift, why don't you use it! You could have saved yourself and Tosh with the Cannibals! Or yourself and Rhys when you had guns to your head during the space whale case; is keeping your secrets that much more important than trying to save people?"

I flinch at the accusation and the glow around the dagger flickers slightly as my focus almost drops but I quickly adjust, keeping a small part of my mind focused on keeping the dagger floating.

I can understand why she's upset; the guilt that I couldn't do more at both those times still bothers me. I want to explain, she doesn't understand, but she isn't giving me a chance. I'm expecting Jack or Mam to step in and try to calm her down but its Tosh who steps in first taking Gwen's arms and not saying anything just stepping in front of her and letting her calm down.

When Tosh steps back Gwen has tears in her eyes and my guilt swells even more, I glance to Tosh but she just looks worried about me and Gwen, there's no blame or accusation towards me.

"I don't like using my abilities on the cases, but if I need to and I can I would do it. It doesn't matter who's looking if it helps to save someone," I explain looking between Tosh and Gwen, willing them to understand that I didn't have a choice in either case.

"Then why?" Gwen asks confused and still upset.

"Because I can't use my abilities if my hands are tied. I can't just think about moving something and it levitated straight away. I use my hands to… focus my abilities on the object; I guess is the best way to explain it. I don't completely understand it but I know no matter how hard I try it doesn't work. Once I have something I can do whatever I want with it, but I need my hands to start with."

"Not everything is perfect Gwen, there's always an Achilles heel," Jack says squeezing her hand, she wipes her eyes with her other hand and give me a soft apologetic smile.

"Having even a mild concussion wouldn't have helped either, let alone the crack on the head that cannibal freak gave you," Owen mutters.

Turning to Owen I look at him as his eyes flick between me, the dagger and the scanner. "Well?" I prompt when he doesn't say anything more.

"It's not enough to get a decent reading. Can you give it a bit more?" Owen asks looking up at me.

"Well, yeah I can..."

Owen cuts over the top of me in his normal manner "Okay then, give it everything you've got."

"Ah... Owen I don't think that's such a good idea," I reply but his snort tells me he's not really listening to me.

"Look, I need a decent scan so just do it already."

I start to look towards Mam again but stop myself, why am I suddenly acting like a child needing permission and reassurance for everything just because she's here. It is a comfort to have her here for this, I'll admit to that but with her rank and influence I've always used her as a guide and shield when it came to my abilities while I was at UNIT because I needed one. I wasn't at UNIT any more though and these people weren't just other soldiers or work colleges they were my friends.

Owen clears his throat and I realize I've been standing there lost in thought and everyone's watching me in confusion the dagger's spinning wobbly and incredibly fast in the air and I quickly slow it down. Even Mam and Jack look confused which just goes to prove how lost in my thoughts I was if Jack couldn't read me.

Sighing I look up at Jack asking permission though not for the same reason I would have Mam. When it comes down to it Jack is still the boss and this is his base, he knows what I'm capable of and that it might cause problems. Jack nods his agreement and I look between the girls and Owen.

"Do you trust me?" I know it's a loaded question with my history but I need to know or I'm just going to worry about them getting hurt.

Tosh is the first one to answer, "yes," and I can't help the relief that I feel, even though she's my best friend and I know the answer deep down it had never been voiced before.

Gwen doesn't say anything but she nods softly her eyes back on the stationary, though still floating, dagger.

I turn to Owen who is fiddling with the scanner. "Owen?" I prompt and he looks up at me rolling his eyes.

"You're floating a dagger a foot in front of my face, don't you think I would have said something by now if I didn't," he growls.

"Then I need you all to keep very still," I turn slowly scanning the room and quickly taking in everything around us and where it is. On the second turn I raise my arms and concentrate.


End file.
